Famous quotes
Quotes by famous people, credited to who said them. Your own quotes must not match any of these. More are added all the time. 1,158,269 quotes Who coined it · How we decide
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Said in the 1500s
“Vaghe Ninfe del Po, Ninfe sorelle, E voi de' boschi e voi d'onda marina E voi de' fonti e de l'alpestri cime.”
Torquato Tasso (1544–1595) said by 1595 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“To me it seems much better to love a woman as a woman, than to make her one's idol, as many do. For my part, I am convinced that it is better to use than to abuse.”
Marguerite de Navarre (1492–1549) said by 1549 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“About Douglas as a translator there may be two opinions; about his Aeneid (Prologues and all) as an English book there can be only one. Here a great story is greatly told and set off with original embellishments which are all good – all either delightful or interesting – in their diverse ways.”
Gavin Douglas (1474–1522) said by 1522 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: C. S. Lewis, English Literature in the Sixteenth Century, Excluding Drama (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1954), p. 90.
“....But words came halting forth, wanting Invention's stay, Invention, Nature's child, fled step-dame Study's blows, And others' feet still seemed but strangers in my way. Thus great with child to speak, and helpless in my throes, Biting my truant pen, beating myself for spite: "Fool," said my Muse to me, "look in thy heart and write.”
Philip Sidney (1554–1586) said by 1586 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Comment osons-nous juger les autres quand nous sentons si bien tout ce qui leur manque pour nous juger?”
Diane de Poitiers (1499–1566) said by 1566 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Così da sempre ogni capo canuto Piu volentier consilio, ched ajuto.”
Francesco Berni (1497–1535) said by 1535 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“The Mass is Idolatry. All worshipping, honouring, or service invented by the brain of man in the religion of God, without his own express commandment, is idolatry. The Mass is invented by the brain of man, without any commandment of God; therefore it is idolatry.”
John Knox (1514–1572) first seen 1550 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: John Knox, A Vindication of the Doctrine that the Sacrifice of the Mass is Idolatry, 1550; as quoted in Selected Writings of John Knox: Public Epistles, Treatises, and Expositions to the Year 1559
“The yvel (as you write therein truely) will labour to peruert the good, And even soo those that be well disposed wyll both lament the foly of the yvel and doo what they canne to make them better. He that eyther feareth not god ne esteameth the kinges Maiesties Iniunctyons preceptes, ordenaunces, and commandementes, is no mete herbe to growe in his Maiesties most catholique and Vertuous garden.”
Thomas Cromwell (1485–1540) first seen 1536 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Letter to Lord Lisle and the Council at Calais (8 June 1539), quoted in Roger Bigelow Merriman, Life and Letters of Thomas Cromwell, Volume II: Letters from 1536, Notes, Index (1902), p. 227
“And above all things fashion thy life and conversation according to the doctrine of the holy ghost therein, that thou mayest be partaker of the good promises of God in the Bible, and be heir of his blessing in Christ.”
Myles Coverdale (1488–1569) said by 1569 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“So long as anyone can speak of divine things, enjoy and understand them, remember and desire them, he has not yet arrived in port; yet there are ways and means to guide him thither. But the creature can know nothing but what God gives him to know from day today”
Catherine of Genoa (1447–1510) said by 1510 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It was given to her what belongs to no creature, that in the flesh she should bring forth the Son of God”
Huldrych Zwingli (1484–1531) said by 1531 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: In Evang. Luc., Opera Completa [Zurich, 1828-42], Volume 6, I, p. 639
“Das Volk wird frei werden, und Gott will allein der Herr darüber sein!”
Thomas Müntzer (1489–1525) said by 1525 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“My own soul is my most faithful friend. My own heart, my truest confidant.”
Babur (1483–1531) said by 1531 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Ch' assai frutto maggior riporta il poco Quando ben colto sia, che 'l molto incolto.”
Luigi Alamanni (1495–1556) said by 1556 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Ils veulent servir pour amasser des biens: comme s'ils pouvaient rien gagner qui fût à eux, puisqu'ils ne peuvent même pas dire qu'ils sont à eux-mêmes.”
Étienne de La Boétie (1530–1563) said by 1563 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“[T]he diversities of opinions among that multitude of people being many, yet every man ignorant what would be the issue of that tragedy, none stirred from thence, neither yet attempted to move any tumult, every man fearing his own skin, and, distrusting his neighbor, esteeming each other to be consenting to the massacre.”
François de Belleforest (1530–1583) said by 1583 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“knock and it shall be opened unto you”
William Tyndale (1494–1536) said by 1536 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“It is certain that no man can embrace the grace of the Gospel without retaking himself from the errors of his former life into the right path, and making it his whole study to practice repentance.”
John Calvin (1509–1564) said by 1564 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“’”Farewell count without a head”’”
William the Silent (1533–1584) said by 1584 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“My life has been one long journey.”
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558) said by 1558 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“See how the tyrannesse doth joy to see The huge massacres which her eyes do make.”
Edmund Spenser (1552–1599) said by 1599 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“And wilt thou leave me thus? Say nay! say nay! for shame! To save thee from the blame Of all my grief and grame. And wilt thou leave me thus? Say nay! say nay!”
Thomas Wyatt (1503–1542) said by 1542 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“Souls will be unable to reach perfection who do not strive to be content with having nothing, in such fashion that their natural and spiritual desire is satisfied with emptiness; for this is necessary in order to reach the highest tranquility and peace of spirit. Hence the love of God in the pure and simple soul is almost continually in act.”
John of the Cross (1542–1591) said by 1591 at the latest wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
“For the rage of the papists among us at this time is scarcely credible; and rather than seem to have been in error in any respect, they most impotently precipitate and throw all things into confusion. May that God whose honour and glory alone we look to, aid our endeavours, and confound the conspiracies and wicked designs of his enemies!”
John Jewel (1522–1571) first seen 1559 wikiquote, CC BY-SA 4.0 source
Recorded in: Letter to Rodolph Gualter (2 November 1559), quoted in The Zurich Letters, Comprising the Correspondence of Several English Bishops and Others, With Some of the Helvetian Reformers, During the Early Part of the Reign of…